Board looks to end free commercial trash collection

Proposal would charge businesses for extra pick-ups

HAMPTON — The days of residential taxpayers footing the bill for commercial trash collection in town, including providing the service for Hampton Beach businesses seven days a week during the summer, may soon be coming to an end.

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By Patrick Cronin

seacoastonline.com

By Patrick Cronin

Posted Oct. 11, 2013 at 2:00 AM

By Patrick Cronin

Posted Oct. 11, 2013 at 2:00 AM

» Social News

HAMPTON — The days of residential taxpayers footing the bill for commercial trash collection in town, including providing the service for Hampton Beach businesses seven days a week during the summer, may soon be coming to an end.

Selectmen voted 3-2 Monday to direct Public Works Director Keith Noyes to come up with a detailed plan to charge businesses who receive trash pick-up service more than once a week.

Selectmen Chairman Richard Nichols said the "devil will be in the details" and noted before the board would enact such a change it would first seek voter approval at the March election.

The preliminary proposal was called the more viable option compared with two other alternatives offered by Noyes, which were change nothing or eliminate commercial trash collection altogether.

Noyes was directed by selectmen to look at ways to address the current inequities in trash collection and reduce the overall costs for the town.

Noyes said his proposal to charge businesses for additional trash pick-ups via a sticker system would treat everyone in town the same. "Basically everyone would be entitled to one cart per week (where the town would pick it up at no cost)," Noyes said. "If businesses wanted more than that, they would pay for it."

The service charge for extra pick-ups — yet to be determined — would cover the town's cost to manage and handle the waste.

Businesses, he said, would still be able to put out unlimited amount of recycling materials.

Noyes said this was more viable plan than implementing a pay-as-you-throw system that requires residents and businesses to buy designated trash bags for disposal of solid waste.

Selectmen have previously rejected that approach.

"If the town moved forward with this concept, then we would (potentially) see a substantial drop of commercial pick-up," said Noyes, citing reduced costs on disposal and equipment replacement in the future.

He noted it would probably be cheaper for a business to contract with a private company rather than with the town.

"But for those business in constricted areas (where a Dumpster would not fit) they would still have the option of using the carts," Noyes said.

Selectmen Phil Bean and Mike Pierce voted against the motion made by Selectman Mary-Louise Woolsey requesting Noyes to develop a more detailed plan.

Bean said he didn't have enough information to make a decision and that officials from the Hampton Chamber of Commerce and the Hampton Beach Village District should be included in the discussions.

"I think all those people should be included," Bean said. "Not just people who don't own businesses. Don't run employees and don't have profit and loss responsibilities."

If anything, Bean said, the board should have Noyes look at the all the options, including making no changes. Bean's motion to do just that failed with him and Pierce in the minority.

Nichols said all the board is doing is requesting more information.

He noted under the proposal residents would also have the option to pay for additional trash pick-up days as well.

Nichols said he would like to see what the charge would be, revenue projection and how much it would reduce tax effect spending.

Over the years, trash collection in Hampton has been a controversial issue due to numerous inequities.

The town's current practice is to pick up trash for the majority of residential properties and businesses once a week. But some beach and downtown businesses get service either five or seven days a week while that service is offered two days a week for some cottages, hotels and residential properties on the beach.

Noyes is expected to provide a detailed report to selectmen by the end of the month that includes the logistics on how it would work.